1st Army Group (France)
French Army formation, 1939–1940
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Army Group 1 (Groupe d'Armées n° 1, GA 1) was the primary French Army maneuver formation during the Battle of France. Headquartered in Bondy, it was historically significant as the command responsible for the execution of the Dyle Plan (Plan D) and controlled the most modern motorized and mechanized wings of the Allied forces. Under the command of Général d'Armée Gaston Billotte, it defended the critical sector between the English Channel and the northern terminus of the Maginot Line.[1][2]
| 1e Groupe d'Armées (GA 1) | |
|---|---|
| Active | Mobilized 1939 – Dissolved June 1940 |
| Country | France |
| Branch | French Army |
| Type | Army Group |
| Role | Operational maneuver in Belgium and Northern France |
| Size | 4 Armies and the BEF |
| Part of | Directly subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief North-East Theatre |
| Engagements | Battle of France (1940), Battle of Belgium |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Général d'Armée Gaston Billotte |
During the campaign of May 1940, GA 1 exercised operational command over the specialized Cavalry Corps and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) under General Lord Gort. Following the German breakthrough at Sedan, GA 1 was central to the Allied attempt to contain the encirclement of the northern forces.[1][2]
Order of battle (10 May 1940)
The following formations were subordinate to the French 1st Army Group at the start of the German invasion, based on official TOSE and GUF records:[1]
- French 1st Army (Général Jean-Baptiste Blanchard)[2]
- Cavalry Corps (Général René Prioux)
- 2e Division Légère Mécanisée (2e DLM)
- 3e Division Légère Mécanisée (3e DLM)
- III Army Corps (Général de Fornel de La Laurencie)
- 1e Division d'Infanterie Motorisée (1e DIM)
- 2e Division d'Infanterie Motorisée (2e DIM)
- IV Army Corps (Général Boris)
- 15e Division d'Infanterie Motorisée (15e DIM)
- 32nd Infantry Division (32e DI)
- Cavalry Corps (Général René Prioux)
- British Expeditionary Force (General Lord Gort)[2]
- I Corps (Lieutenant-General Michael Barker)
- II Corps (Lieutenant-General Alan Brooke)
- III Corps (Lieutenant-General Ronald Adam)
- French 9th Army (Général André Corap)[1]
- II Army Corps (Général Bouffet)
- 4e Division d'Infanterie (4e DI)
- 5e Division d'Infanterie Motorisée (5e DIM)
- XI Army Corps (Général Julien Martin)
- 41st Fortress Army Corps (Général Libaud)
- 102e Division d'Infanterie de Forteresse (102e DIF)
- II Army Corps (Général Bouffet)
- French 7th Army (Général Henri Giraud)[1]
- I Army Corps (Général Sciard)
- 21e Division d'Infanterie (21e DI)
- XVI Army Corps (Général Falgade)
- 1e Division Légère Mécanisée (1e DLM)
- I Army Corps (Général Sciard)
- French 2nd Army (Général Charles Huntziger)[1]
- (Subordinated to GA 1 at the Ardennes pivot)
